Messages
by Steve the Icecube
Summary: (AU) Steve was...worried about Tony. He knew the man was erratic and odd, showing his face only when he was hidden behind Iron Man's mask. But the messages left around implied that he was a little more than erratic and more bordering on psychopathic.
1. Chapter 1

It was the day he moved to Stark Tower that he first received a message. Nothing odd about it, a simple 'Welcome'. From Stark, he presumed. He'd thought that the man considered himself above acknowledging that he had moved into his home, but it seemed not.

He was maybe a little disappointed that Stark didn't greet him in person, but he wasn't really expecting much. Iron Man himself had been a very silent person, almost invisible in their fights despite his controlling role. He hadn't spoken on the com once, not even when he took the missile into space. He spoke with actions rather than words.

Steve had read that Stark had once been at the pinnacle of popularity, always attending social events. But he locked himself up after he came back from Afghanistan from captivity. He'd left worrying statements around SHIELD files, and the only person allowed inside, Pepper Potts, said that he was drinking most of the time, he rarely slept, and he didn't eat anything solid. On the files on him, he was described as erratic.

Not recommended to be Iron Man, either. But he did his job fine and really, that was all he cared about. He needed a place to be close to the other Avengers, and to be completely honest, he was curious about Stark. Why would someone lock themselves away? And how did he survive on alcohol and liquid food alone? Well, he wasn't interested in the science to do with that. Just the effect it had on Stark's appearance and strength. After all, Stark was a member of his team. He couldn't be unhealthy, Iron Man was a vital member.

*A*

The second time Stark left a message, it was complete nonsense. Gibberish. He was probably drunk.

At least, Steve thought that. Stark sent another message a few seconds later. 'I'm completely sober.'

It was puzzling, and Stark didn't explain the earlier message, which was a mess of letters and numbers.

*A*

The fourth message was after Steve checked the com links and found that Stark had never been connected in the first place. He'd yelled at the man, who had simply stood there in the suit, his face blank as usual. He hadn't reacted at all.

This one read; 'You just don't understand this at all, or me. I'm not stupid or crazy. I won't deny the whole 'death wish' thing. I'm just a coward.'

Evidently, he was. He hadn't been able to say anything to Steve's face, apparently.

*A*

The fifth message was nothing much. Just a simple 'Feeling down. I hope we're not called in for a couple days.'

But it made Steve worried when they were called in the next day. But Iron Man was as amazing as usual, though he got a little beaten up, one blow piercing the suit and the wound was oozing blood in a steady stream.

"Iron Man, are you okay there?" He asked, stepping towards him.

"Fine." A mechanical voice replied shortly. "That hardly ever happens. But I'm fine."

Steve dwelled on the words for hours afterwards. It took him a while to realise that he had never heard the robotic voice of the suit before. It was flat and imperfect, clearly mechanical. It halted in awkward places. So Stark had probably said it and then the suit had filtered it, or maybe the AI in the walls that gave him the messages.

*A*

The sixth message made Steve stop and worry. 'You realise that Jarvis could kill you any time I want, right?'

Steve moved out for a few days, until they were called in again and Iron Man apologised. "I wasn't feeling like myself. I wouldn't kill you." He said. Nothing else. Just that, and it was enough to persuade Steve to move back in again.

Steve knew by now that his life was crazy, and Stark was weird. He brought it up with the others, who also lived in the Tower, but other than Bruce none of them had received any messages, and Bruce's were all about science.

That evening, he got another message from Stark. 'You can call me Tony, you know. I always think that when you say Stark you mean my father.'

*A*

It was about then that the messages increased in frequency. 'Ouch, have you seen any painkillers around? I can't find mine.' This worried Steve, it should have said on Stark's file that he took painkillers.

'They're Diamorphine. For chronic pain. I'm building up a resistance to it, though, and it's my last option.' Steve searched it. It was for people who were dying.

'Good, found them. I'm not dying, by the way. They're for the arc reactor.'

This was the end of the messages for the day, but there were more two days later. 'Hey, Steve. I'm lonely.' This didn't really surprise Steve. Tony didn't really talk to anyone outside of his CEO and his robots. But they didn't count, they weren't people. 'You shouldn't hide then, Tony.' Steve replied via JARVIS. 'Then you'd have people to talk to.' 'You don't understand. I didn't think you would.' Steve sighed. Trust Tony.


	2. Chapter 2

'Tony, I really think you should get out and talk to people.' Steve messaged. 'How long has it been since you used your voice to talk to someone face to face other than your CEO?'

It took a long time for Tony to reply. 'A few years.'

'Tony, that's too long. What about your social skills?' Those social skills that he saw so clearly in every published interview. Those social skills on the videos on the internet when he gave speeches.

'Why do you think I stopped talking to people in the first place?'

'There's something you're really not telling me here.'

'I don't have to tell you. I could evict you if you keep pestering me.'

Steve shut up.

*A*

'Do you have any more persuasive things to say? I'm bored.' This message came at two o clock in the morning when Steve couldn't sleep.

'You could sleep.' Steve messaged back. 'Nothing wrong with sleeping.'

'Why are you awake, then?'

'I'm sleep-typing.'

'Hah. Funny.'

'Don't you want to actually talk to me?'

'No.'

Steve did actually feel a little upset at this. He'd thought that Tony liked him. 'Why?'

'Don't take offence. It's hard to talk to Pepper, and I've known her for so long.'

So Tony finds talking...difficult? That made no sense. 'Did you just reveal something key?'

'Yup.' Tony replied. 'But it's too cryptic for your little brain, I'm sure.'

Steve frowned. 'Are you insulting my intelligence?'

'Of course, sweetie. I'm superior in intelligence.'

'But you don't have enough intelligence to know that you should be out and around people.'

'Shut up.'

*A*

Tony didn't talk to him for a while, in fact, not until the next time they were called in, just over a week later. "Hey." He said quietly, faceplate down as always. "I appreciate that you talk to me."

"No problem." Steve said warmly.

They fought in the battle as usual, but Tony got even more beaten up than usual. There were holes on the left side of the faceplate. It revealed only blood, a few strands of bloodied hair and very pale skin. "Iron Man, are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine. Just fine." Tony said, his voice doubled, once through the voice processor and once through the holes in the plate. He sounded strained.

"Just take the helmet off and you can get medical attention." Steve said gently.

Tony flew off.


End file.
